Striving For Solutions As Diverse And Unique As Our Clients

A small law firm providing experienced and understanding legal guidance in the areas of bankruptcy options and filing, criminal and drunk driving defense, child custody and support matters and divorce.

How Is Custody Determined?

The primary goal in determining custody is deciding what is in the best interests of the child. Even in the most contentious divorce cases, most parents are able to agree that they want to do what is best for their children, even if coming to that decision is difficult. For many couples, the result will be joint custody with visitation rights granted to the non-primary caregiver.

Custody is determined by a variety of factors. Some of the questions that will be asked to decide custody include:

Who handles the majority of the parenting tasks?

What are the child's wishes?

Do the parents have any mental health or other issues that may affect the child?

What will be the most stable home environment?

How does the child interact with other members of the family?

These are some of the questions a lawyer can help you answer when discussing child custody. At Hawley & Associates, LLC, we have vast experience with custody cases in Prattville and throughout Autauga County.

Types Of Child Custody

Child custody amounts to more than simply determining where a child will live. In fact, there are several kinds of child custody that will determine the role a parent plays in their child's life.

Physical custody: This determines which parent a child will live with.

Legal custody: Making life decisions for the child is one of the most important parts of their life. Legal custody determines who will make decisions about things like education and health care.

Sole custody: Sole custody may be awarded by a judge — often in cases when one parent is deemed unfit to care for the child. This could be sole legal custody, physical custody or both.

Joint custody: Many joint custody agreements include both legal custody and physical custody, where the parents split time with the child and are both involved in decisions.

The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.

Contact

Hawley & Associates, LLC, provides legal services to women, men and families throughout Autauga County, Montgomery County, Elmore County, and surrounding counties.

The following disclaimer is required by Rule 7.2 of the Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct: No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.